Lighter and cigarette package holder



Oct. 9, 1962 E. T. STEPPAN LIGHTER AND CIGARETTE PACKAGE HOLDER 2,Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 6, 1961 l/WEVTOR Erwin T 5 TE PPA/V IVJI/IATTORNEYS Oct. 9, 1962 E. T. STEPPAN LIGHTER AND CIGARETTE PACKAGEHOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6, 1961 I II //VV/VTOR Erwin T.STEPPAN ATTORNEYS Sras Unite This invention relates to a smokers articleand more particularly to a lighter and cigarette package holder or alighter equipped with means for retaining it against a cigarettepackage.

Smokers know that the fact the cigarette package and the lighting means,be it matches or lighter, are separate cause many inconveniences; themost irritating being, perhaps, the forgetting of one of the two in onelocation, usually the lighting means. Also, the lighting means isusually in a pocket different from that of the cigarette package and isnot always readily found when needed.

If a lighter is used to ignite the cigarettes, the two are usually toobulky to be carried in the same pocket. Also, being separate, use of thetwo hands is required at all times.

One object of the invention is to present an article which can beintegrated to a cigarette package to provide a unitary structurecombining a cigarette package and a lighter.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an article ofthe aforementioned type which is detachably secured to a cigarettepackage so that it may serve continuously and be applied to a newpackage after the previous one is empty.

A further object of the invention consists in providing such a cigarettelighter and package holder that can be applied, with slight dimensionalchanges, to a soft or hard cigarette package; the main change requiredbeing to widen the holder to accommodate a soft cardboard package, ascompared to the harder cardboard container.

It will also be found that the holder of the invention lends itself verywell to the application and use of a miniature lighter therebysubstantially decreasing the bulkiness of the standard lighter.

These objects and advantages are obtained by the provision of a lighterand cigarette package holder which is formed of a guiding member on onelateral face of a lighter or else a guiding member provided with acasing for a lighter; this guiding member being provided with a clipadapted to slide inwardly of a cigarette package to hold one of itswalls, usually the side wall, in close relationship with the guidingmember and in frictional engagement therewith.

Further objects and advantages will be found as the followingdescription of the invention proceeds having regard to preferredembodiments and in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention, to beused with stiff cardboard packages,

FIG. 2 is a partial view, in perspective, showing the holder beingapplied toa cigarette package,

FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal cross-section view of the holder, againas being applied to a cigarette package, FIG. 4 is a sectional viewalong line 44 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, showing another embodimentof the invention applicable to soft cardboard packages,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating how the holder is applied tothe soft package,

FIG. 7 shows, in perspective, the type of lighter that may be used withthe holder, and

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view along line 8--8 of FIG. 6.

The holder of the invention is a unitary structure having a lighter 1joined to a guiding member 3. The latter 3,957,155 Patented Get. 9, 1962is to be attached to the side wall of a cigarette package, shown indotted lines in FIG. 1, and is retained thereon by means of a clip 5which creates, with the guiding memher 3, an elongated slot 7 into whichthe cover side wall 9 of a cigarette package may be inserted and heldtherein by friction.

In the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, guiding member 3 ischannel-shaped in cross-section (FIG. 4) and is formed of a web 11flanked by two side flanges 13. The inner distance between side flanges13 is about equal to the thickness of a hard cardboard package so as toprovide sliding contact therebetween.

Clip 5 has a front wing 15 that is fixed to the top of the guidingmember 3. Front wing 15 projects inwardly of member 3 and stands spacedfrom web 11 a distance about equal to the thickness of the cigarettepackage cover. This distance defines slot 7 which is such as tofrictionally retain side wall 9 when the latter is inserted therein.

For greater retaining power, a second wing, lateral wing 17, may beprovided integral with the first wing 15 so as to form an L-shapedretaining clip (FIG. 4).

In inserting the guiding member into position, the preferred procedureis to slightly lift inner envelope 21 and lightly press front wing 15against envelope side flap 23 to create a space 25 wherein wing 15 maybe inserted as indicated by arrow A, in FIG. 3. Raising of envelope 21also prevents wing 15 from being caught inwardly of flap 23.

Care should also be taken to push the holder in with the lateral wing 17sliding along the back of the cigarette package so that its insertion isunobstructed. If wing 17 was located forwardly so as to be driven alongthe front of the package, its descent would be hindered by lower flap27. In other words, if the lighter and cigarette package holder isright-handed, that is, to be located on the right-hand side of acigarette package when viewed from the front thereof, as in FIG. 3, theclip is a left-handed clip with lateral wing 17 on the left-hand side asseen in FIG. 2, particularly. The reverse is true if the holder isleft-handed.

To ease the insertion of the clip 5, it is suggested that the lower endthereof be pointed, as shown at 29 in FIG. 2.

The lighter 1 itself may be secured directly to guiding member 3, asshown in FIG. 3, or else it may be inserted in a casing formed on theguiding member on the side opposite lateral flanges 13. In latter case,a suitable slot 31 would be provided for maintenance purposes.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 is almost identical to thatof the other figures and differ only in the width of the guiding member3 which is greater to accommodate the thicker soft cardboard cigarettepackage. Another difference is the provision of a second lateral wing 19which has the same function as wing 19.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, guiding member 3 is easily inserted along theside of the package by slightly pressing on the sides with the thumb andthe index as shown by arrows B. This will round the lateral side of thecigarette package and will create a space where the pointed end of clip5 may be inserted to initiate the fixing of the guiding member.

A type of lighter to be used in conjunction with guiding member 3 isshown in FIG. 7. It is an elongated container, rectangular in crosssection and topped with the lighting parts which include an operatinglever 33. This lever could, advantageously, have an upward reciprocatingdisplacement which takes up very little space and provides a strongleverage action.

The resistance to withdrawal of the package from the holder is due tothe friction between the guiding member, the clip and the cigarettepackage. The friction, in turn, is a function of the closeness of thesurfaces in contact,

their dimensional extent and, of course, the coefficient of friction ofthe surfaces in contact. Simple experiments by those skilled in the artwill readily demonstrate the various dimensional requirements foreffective gripping of the package by the holding member, i

I claim:

1. A lighter and cigarette package holder, comprising: a lighter; aguiding member on said lighter extending lengthwise thereof said guidingmember having a Web and at least one side flange substantially normalthereto; said member having inner surfaces against which abutting wallsof a cigarette package are intended to be applied; a unitary clip fixedat one end along the top of said web and along the top of said sideflange and extending in such close parallel relationship with the weband the flange as to frictionally retain said cigarette package when theabutting package walls are inserted between said clip and said guidingmember.

2. A lighter and cigarette package holder, comprising: a lighter; achannel-shaped guiding member on said lighter extending lengthwisethereof; said guiding member having a web and two side flangessubstantially normal to said web; said member having inner flat surfacesagainst which abutting walls of a cigarette package are intended to beapplied; a unitary clip fixed at one end along the top of said web andalong the top of at least one of the adjoining side flanges; said clipextending in such close parallel relationship with the web and theflange as to frict-ionally retain said cigarette package when theabutting package walls are inserted between said clip and said guidingmember.

3. A lighter and cigarette package holder, comprising: a lighter; anelongated channel-shaped guiding member on said lighter extendinglengthwise thereof; said guiding member having a web and two sideflanges substantially normal to said web; said member having inner flatsurfaces against which abutting walls of a cigarette package areintended to be applied; an elongated unitary clip fixed at one end alongthe top of said web and along the top of one of the adjoining sideflanges so as to be L- shaped in cross-section; said clip extending insuch close parallel relationship with the web and the flange as tofrictionally retain said cigarete package when the abutting packagewalls are inserted between said clip and said guiding member.

4. A lighter and cigarette package holder, comprising: a lighter; anelongated channel-shaped guiding member on said lighter extendinglengthwise thereof; said guiding member having a web and two sideflanges substantially normal thereto; said member having inner flatsurfaces against which abutting walls of a cigarette package areintended to be applied; an elongated unitary clip fixed at one end alongthe top of said web and along the top of both side flanges so as to beU-shaped in cross-section; said clip extending in such close parallelrelationship with the web and the flanges as to frictionally retain saidcigarette package when the Walls are inserted between said clip and saidguiding member.

5. A lighter and cigarette package holder, comprising: an elongatedchannel-shaped guiding member having 'a web and two side flangesextending perpendicularly away from said web on one common side thereofand a casing projecting from the other side of said web; a lighter insaid casing; said member having inner flat surfaces against whichabutting walls of a cigarette package are intended to be applied; anelongated untary clip fixed at one end along the top of said web andalong the top of at least one of the adjoining side flanges; said clipextending in such close parallel relationship with the web and theflange as to frictionally retain said cigarette package when theabutting walls are inserted between said clip and said guiding member.

6. A lighter and cigarette package holder, comprising: an elongatedchannel-shaped guiding member having a web and two side flangesextending perpendicularly away from said web on one common side thereofand a casing projecting from the other side of said web a lighter insaid casing; said member having inner flat surfaces against whichabutting walls of a cigarette package are intended to be applied; anelongated unitary clip fixed at one end along the top of said web andalong the top of one of the adjoining side flanges so as to be L-shapedin cross-section; said clip extending in such close parallelrelationship with said web and flange as to frictionally retain saidcigarette package when the abutting walls are inserted between said clipand said guiding member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Bl-T--,-- June 12,, 1251 1,862,518 Alland June 14, 1932 1,903,729 FlormanApr. 11, 1933 2,490,083 Montague Dec. 6, 1949 2,782,910 Liebow Feb. 26,1957

